all destinations BA · Ibotirama · river

são francisco river — ibotirama

Middle São Francisco in western Bahia, with islands, sandbars and nearly 300 marginal lagoons. Surubim at dusk, dorado and croaker.

forecast for here see on the map

Ibotirama sits where BR-242 crosses the São Francisco, in the middle course of the river, between Bom Jesus da Lapa and Barra. The river is wide, with islands such as the Grande, the Boa Vista and the das Galinhas, and sandbars that become beaches in low water; the municipality has nearly 300 marginal lagoons. Surubim is the most sought-after fish, from dusk to night, with live bait on the bottom of the holes. By day, dorado, curimatã, croaker, peacock bass, trahira and piranha complete the fishing, from a boat or from the edge of the sandbars.

best season

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

May to October, with clearer water and sandbars exposed. Spawning closure Nov 1 to Feb 28; in the marginal lagoons, fishing closed until Apr 30.

Local rules: Spawning closure on the São Francisco from Nov 1 to Feb 28 (Portaria Ibama 50/2007): recreational anglers only with line, rod and reel, up to 5 kg plus 1 specimen, and fishing is banned within 1,000 m of waterfalls and rapids and within 500 m of confluences; in the marginal lagoons, no fishing from Nov 1 to Apr 30. Surubim is a vulnerable species: catch only under the recovery plan, with a minimum of 80 cm on the São Francisco (PI MPA/MMA 15/2024); release is preferred. Pacamã and pirá: catch banned. Check local rules.

getting there: Via BR-242, about 650 km from Salvador and 250 km from Barreiras, which has the nearest airport, with flights from Salvador and Brasília.
facilities: Hotels, inns and restaurants in town, which is a stop on BR-242; local boatmen and fishers know the islands, sandbars and lagoons.
basin: São Francisco

tip

For surubim, fish from late afternoon into the night, with live bait (muçum or fish) on the bottom of the holes and at the edge of the sandbars: by day it rests.

next 7 days here

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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.

what you can catch here

PimelodidaeVU

Spotted sorubim

Pseudoplatystoma corruscans

The great leather catfish of the Pantanal, the Paraná and the São Francisco. Nocturnal, heavy and with long runs. Vulnerable on the national list.

Freshwater

time of yearbest: Aug–Oct

Bryconidae

Dourado-do-São-Francisco

Salminus franciscanus

The Velho Chico (São Francisco River) golden dorado. Same temperament as the Pantanal golden dorado, in rocky stretches and rapids such as Pirapora and downstream of Três Marias.

Freshwater

time of yearbest: Aug–Oct